


The Primroses Were Over

by GenericDemon



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), The Plague Dogs - Richard Adams, Watership Down - Richard Adams
Genre: AU, Gen, Multi, Not a rabbit expert, Other, Watership Down AU, almost everyone is a rabbit, angry magpie Gavin, big old St Bernard Hank, inaccurate depiction of labs and lab tests and lab animals, lets pretend that North American rabbits actually dig burrows, lots of characters and relationships not listed, use of lapine, watership down typical violence, with a bit of plague dogs thrown in
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-09-29 02:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17194487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenericDemon/pseuds/GenericDemon
Summary: Nines and Connor are two lab rabbits who have only ever known the inside of a cage and the tests which they are subjected to.The daily routine is disrupted when they are moved to a large pen with a bunch of strange rabbits. There, Connor begins to have visions of a terrible danger coming and tells everyone they must find a way to escape.But, once they do, the perilous journey to find a new home begins.--------------Good old Watership Down/ Plague Dogs AU





	1. Fu Inlé

**Author's Note:**

> This is just me taking the Watership Down and Plague Dogs books and inserting the DBH characters into a strange conglomeration of all three.  
> All inaccuracies about rabbits and any other animals are me taking a few liberties for the sake of the plot.

Above all else, it was boring. Day in and day out the routine was the same. Perhaps, the food changed a bit or they gave them something new to chew on but, one truth remained. The constant that seemed to determine time itself here. Nines always drowned. 

 

Everyday it seemed, at what he could only perceive was ni-Frith, determined by the brightness that laid just outside the high windows. That was always when the white coats would come. 

 

Sometimes, Nines caught a glimpse of Frith as the white coats carried him down the hall past rows and rows of other rabbits. They always tried to keep his face pressed into their sides, as if to keep him from seeing much of anything. It did little, all Nines had to do was tilt his head slightly and he could see the whole world, or what little he could call the world.

 

There above wire cages stacked seemingly to Frith himself, the sun would shine through a small opening to the outside. And when they would bring him back through the same hall Inlé would be shining in Frith's place. The moon in all it's silver magnificence and steady light, waxing and waning. The only testament that time ever passed here and a comfort that the Black Rabbit himself still looked down upon them. Watching and waiting for the day when he was to collect them all from such a wretched place. 

 

They would pass through door after door then, losing sight of any other rabbits as the cages thinned out until only the white walls of the human warren remained. One last door, and Nines would see the pool of water, a great lake surrounded by high metal walls in the middle of the room. Calm and quiet but, reflecting harshly against the white lights that clung to the ceiling. 

 

He used to feel fear when he saw it. An all encompassing thing that made him stiff and unmoving. He would send quiet prayers to Frith himself as the white coats lowered him down into the middle of the water. He no longer feels anything when he sees it. 

 

The white coats lower him into the water once more, muttering amongst themselves. Somehow, despite the chill of the water, the white coats’ paws always felt colder than anything else.

 

Instincts kick in as soon as his fur is soaked through. Rabbits were never meant to swim. 

 

Nines paddles at the water with his forepaws and kicks with his hind legs, trying to grab onto a solid surface that isn't there. His eyes roll about in their sockets briefly and the whites are visible as he strains to keep his head above the water. 

 

There is never any other noise than his splashing and harsh panting. The humans always look upon him silently. Always in their white coats. Always staring for an eternity it seemed.

 

Rabbits have no real grasp of time other than the rising and the falling of the sun, or the seasons as they pass. But, Nines always knew intrinsically that he stayed afloat a bit longer each time they brought him here.

 

He paddles to the edge of the pool, slick metal clicking and scraping as he drags his claws against it. He always spent his last moments scrabbling at the wall, hoping perhaps that the white coats would change their mind and pull him from the water. Of course, man never showed such mercy.

 

His paws grow heavy and his head dips below the water. With each passing second, he can feel his muscles scream for relief until they lose the ability to move entirely. He can feel water lap against his ears and the sounds become muffled as liquid gathers against his ear drums. 

 

He scratches at the tile one last time, grunting weakly and wheezing. His breaths turn to gags and coughs as he inhales water through his nose and mouth.

 

Nines sinks beneath the surface, paws stopping their endless churning. His heart thuds in his ears and his eyes slip close against the watery intrusion. He tries to breath in, he always does. He can not stop his lung's desperate attempts for air just as he has no strength left in his paws to keep swimming. 

 

The burn of water in his nose and throat, and fire in his lungs reminds him that he was still of this world. His body settles on the bottom of the pool gently and convulses as it fights for the last scraps of oxygen. He grows tired. So, tired indeed that his heart stops beating altogether.

 

He goes limp and it is always in this moment, suspended in oblivion, that he can hear the Black Rabbit call his name. For when he calls, you must go. 

 

However, Nines is never given the chance to answer the call. Death eludes him and yet, each time he drowns the Black Rabbit calls for him as if he is an old friend. His eyes shine with a red light that pierces the darkness of his unconscious mind but, he never moves forward to greet him. Always just out of reach, waiting patiently for the day Nines finally dies. 

 

Shocks rupture his oblivion, chasing away death with their arrival. One after the other, jump-starting his heart into a weak putter. He can feel as cold metal is pressed against his fur and his chest rises and falls with the shallowest of breaths. He coughs violently, kicking out his feet and turning onto his stomach as water leaves his lungs with each heave. 

 

Rough hands force Nines back onto his side and a tube is shoved down his throat, pumping air into his lungs. He struggles weakly against the intrusion and whimpers as the burn of water being forced from his lungs grows unbearable. He watches as the white coats move around above him. Like vultures, they hover over him as if he is a dying animal, a piece of carrion ready to be picked apart. 

 

He regains some semblance of strength with each inhale and exhale the contraption forces from him. His heart thumps stronger with each beat but, it is still weak. Too weak to give much life to the rest of his body, so he remains limp even when the tube is painfully removed. He gags around it, teeth grinding weakly against the feeling until finally the wretched thing is gone.

 

Dry towels drag roughly against his fur, whisking away the water and chasing away the chill. They do not take into account the discomfort they leave behind or the absolute disarray they leave his fur in. It is mechanical, a necessity to keep him alive one more day. 

 

Hands lift him into the air and once more he is pressed face first into a white coat. He doesn't bother to look around or try and catch a glimpse of the window. 

 

He hears the familiar metallic click of a latch being undone before he is placed gently inside a small cage. He has no energy to move and lays on his side. Eyes closed and panting, he is thankful for the small comfort of some soft material beneath him. 

 

“Brother?” Nines ear twitches at the quiet voice and he sighs softly in response. 

 

“I thought you were never coming back.” 

 

Nines opens one eye wide enough to see a small brown rabbit hop towards him. As familiar as the wire bars of the cage, so is the strange circle that protrudes slightly from the rabbit's right temple. It's a tiny unnatural thing that rests just behind his eye and no fur dare grows near it.

 

“I always… come back...Connor” He speaks between breaths. 

 

“I know.” Connor's ears fall back and he looks down at his paws, “Something felt different this time. Like a…” He looks about, struggling to find the words, “Like an end to a terrible winter or… a calm settling after a thunderstorm.” 

 

Nines chuckles weakly and closes his eyes, “You worry too much.” He shifts slightly, tucking his legs closer to his body, “I'm not done running, yet, little brother.” 

 

Connor presses his forehead against Nines and settles down beside the bigger rabbit, “Maybe, the white coats won't come tomorrow.” He tucks his paws beneath his chin and stares out past the cage bars. It is dark, the harsh lights are turned off and it allows the light of the full moon to trickle in.

 

Nines snorts, “You say that every time.” 

 

“I have a feeling, this time.” Connor whispers it with such confidence that Nines almost believes that things will be different when the morning arrives. That, somehow, he is free of the pool and free of cheating death. To get his hopes up would be a disservice to himself. 

 

He opens his eyes for a brief moment to look at Inlé, as it shines down upon them. The Black Rabbit would not come for him today nor the next.

“Get some rest, rusatiroo.” 


	2. RA9

Connor wakes to the sound of rattling metal and a voice coming from below his feet. The rabbit sounds distressed and the lapine they speak sounds strange to his ears, as if the sentence structure is just a bit off.

 

Connor looks to his side, watching as the black and white fur of the body next to him rises and  falls steadily. He looks back out towards the cage bars and his ears fall slightly. Nines always discouraged him from talking to the other rabbits. He told him to stick to himself, to stay quiet and protect himself against those who may have ulterior motives. Connor thought it was a bit of a ridiculous notion since there was no chance he would ever see any of them face to face. 

 

He nudges Nines. His brother just shifts slightly and grumbles something incoherent. 

 

His mind made up, Connor creeps forward on his belly and instead of hopping he pulls his body forward to avoid making any vibration or noise. He presses the side of his face to the cage bars, hoping to catch a glimpse of who ever is below. He feels the cold lines press into his cheek and he tilts his ears at an angle to catch every sound.

 

He can't see anything except for the bleak ground and the cages across from him. It seems a few rabbits have been woken by the noise and  they are investigating for themselves. Sighing, he shuffles back a bit and rests his chin on his paws, forehead still touching the bars and nose twitching. 

 

He can only smell the sterile air and general scent of rabbit, Nines is the only rabbit that stands out. He listens then. 

 

“-happening today. Yes, yes! It is.” He hears a scraping and can only assume the rabbit is moving about frantically. 

 

It goes quiet for a heartbeat.

 

“Ralph knows… He always knows.” Connor hears a soft laugh and the muttering starts up, again. He strains to hear it but, the words evade him. He pulls himself up onto his haunches and tries to glance down once more with the same results. 

 

He looks at Nines for a moment, the rabbit still sleeping, now faced away from him and snoring. Connor should wake him, the snoring is a concerning sound for rabbits but, he seemed to do it every night. Connor knows that it is probably a result of water in the nasal passages and lungs. It worries him but, he is powerless against the white coats. He can only be glad that his brother is still here. 

 

“Hi.” He's never talked to anyone besides Nines but, he figures beginning with a friendly introduction wouldn't hurt. “My name is Connor.”

 

It remains quiet except for his soft breathing. Just as he resigns himself to receive no answer, a voice breaks the silence. 

 

“It's really you, by RA9.” The voice sounds relieved and he can hear a rattle as if the rabbit has propped itself on its hind legs, forepaws against the bars. 

 

“I'm sorry.” Connor shakes his head slightly, “I don't know you- I… You must've mistaken me for a different rabbit.” Confusion makes his words falter and the alien word ' _RA9_ ’ leaves him more puzzled. 

 

“Ralph knows.” The voice sounds closer and it's almost a whisper. “Don't worry, naylte-roo. You'll see, you always do.” 

 

“You're not making any sense.” Connor clicks his teeth in frustration, wondering what the humans did to make this rabbit act such a way. The term of endearment is odd for someone he's never met. He doesn't know why he continues to try and question the poor creature but, something compels him.

 

“Ralph- it is Ralph, right?” He assumes the name based on the evidence given to him, “What exactly am I supposed to be seeing?” 

 

A loud shush answers him and Connor thumps his foot once, fast and loud. A small angry gesture that conveys his state of mind. Still, he forges on in what is shaping up to be a pointless endeavor. 

 

“Why did you-” He's cut off abruptly when a sharp yelp leaves his mouth. Nines’ teeth pull him back by the scruff, away from the bars and away from Ralph.

 

He scrambles about for a moment trying to gain a semblance of dignity after being dragged about like a rabbit kit. Once on his paws he glares up at Nines and opens his mouth, only to shut it when he sees his brother's eyes. Cold and icy blue, ringed with disappointment and shining with the fury of a blizzard. 

 

“What did I say, _rusati-roo_?” Nines voice is monotone but, its weight is crushing. 

 

“Never speak to the other rabbits.” Connor looks down at his paws but, a wave of indignation spurs him on, “But, why? They're just as trapped here as we are, _rusati-nos_.” 

 

“Frith and Inlé, Connor!” Nines shakes his head, his ears lowering for a moment and his shoulders drooping slightly. Connor cringes back slightly, hunching in on himself with his ears pinned back and body lower to the ground. 

 

“You- you don't get it.” Nines laughs heartlessly, “It’s my job to keep you safe. Frith be damned, if I don't do everything in my power to ensure that.” He stamps a paw loudly as if it will drive his point home. All it does is make Connor flinch. 

 

“But, the other rabbits-” 

 

Nines interrupts him with a growl, “Will fill your head with stories and false hope.” His lips curl back slightly to reveal a hint of his incisors. A warning. “And you'll end up just like mother. Dead, because of a half-assed escape attempt.”

 

Connor turns away from Nines, pushing himself into the wall as if he could pass through it with sheer willpower. “You're right.” He whispers, knowing his brother will still hear him, “No one leaves here alive.” 

 

Nines presses his forehead against his flank, an unspoken apology. Connor makes no move to offer forgiveness. He's too upset to decide whether his brother deserves any. He hears as Nines moves away from him, to allow him room and time to think.

 

A sudden itch radiates from the implant in his temple and he scratches at it lazily with his forepaw. Instead of any relief it seems to grow in intensity and he sits up to scratch at it vigorously with his back leg. His nails catch against it and he ignores the pain that it causes in lieu of ridding himself of the terrible itching.

 

“Hey, calm down or you're-” The itching stops at the same time Nines goes completely silent. 

 

Connor hears the latch being undone and he turns in time to see a hand grab for him. It scoops him up with ease and he pants frantically as he's taken further and further from Nines. The white coats had not taken him for some time after he woke up with that infernal thing in his head. His heart rate jumps as his thoughts race and leap to wild conclusions. 

 

He hears Nines voice fade in the distance. The angry shouts and curses cut off as he's taken through the first door. He tries to look around but, all he sees is darkness. His ears and nose do little to aide him. His face is shoved securely into the side of a white coat and his small frame is nearly engulfed by the hands that imprison him. 

 

Suddenly, there is light and Connor squints against the momentary onslaught of brightness. A strong smell of rabbit hits him, stronger than he's ever smelt it before. It's nearly overwhelming. 

 

The human coos something at him before he's dropped onto some soft spongy material. Connor presses himself low, as low as he can possibly get and pins his ears back. His paws press into the strange bedding and he feels as it shifts and crumbles slightly beneath him. 

 

He looks about, noticing that he's in a much bigger cage, with odd platforms and ramps. The cage itself is surrounded by tall wire walls that stretch to the sky. The ceiling is open though, no metal roof lies above him. Now, he can see the fake lights that shine their imitation Frith's and the windows that sit high above him. 

 

He doesn't see Nines. He can't smell him or hear his voice. Connor shakes at the thought and he doesn't dare move when he sees strange rabbits approach him. He flattens himself further, perhaps hoping his coat will miraculously blend with the lighter brown beneath him. 

 

“I think he's gone tharn.” 

 

“By Frith, he's so small.” 

 

“What should we do?”

 

He leans away from the voices, only to find they are coming from all sides. The rabbits tower over him, similar to Nines in size but, alien in appearance altogether. Their silhouettes stretch above him, so tall that he cannot see where they end. 

 

He closes his eyes, wishing he wasn't so small. Wishing for the Black Rabbit to take him, for it would be better than whatever fate these strangers had decided for him. He wishes for his brother, to forgive him, to part on better terms, and if only to see him one last time. To know he is alive. 

 

“Move, give him space.” A voice parts the ocean of chaos. It is unlike any Connor has ever heard. It weaves Lapine like a tapestry and it demands attention with it's smooth timbre.

 

The silhouettes disperse, giving him a moment to breath and he would relax if not for the thoughts that still plagued him. 

 

A rabbit lays down in front of him. Far enough away and low enough to the ground that they are at eye level but, Connor does not feel threatened. He is strange for a rabbit, more long limbs and large ears with a thinner body. Strangest of all, he appears to have blueish fur with a tan underbelly and chin. He looks at Connor patiently, blinking slowly around two different colored eyes. One icy blue like Nines and the other a bright green.

 

“There's no need to be frightened, naylte-roo.” The rabbit tilts his head slightly and Connor notices that he has the same circular implant at his right temple. Mirrors of each other. 

 

“My name is Markus and you will be safe here.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glossary:   
> naylte-roo- little rabbit, term of endearment or insult depending on how it's said
> 
> rusati-roo- little brother
> 
> rusati-nos- big brother


	3. Stranger in a Strange Land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was drinking big dumb juice while writing this, sorry

“Markus?” 

 

Markus sees Simon approach slowly from behind, coming to a stop and stopping low beside him. The fawn rabbit speaks softly as not to frighten the scared rabbit and he lowers his ears in a show of submission. Markus tilts an ear towards Simon, a silent signal that he is listening.

 

“Perhaps, we should move him under one of the platforms.” 

 

Simon nods towards a corner of the cage where the light is finding a hard time reaching into the depths. The lattice of wire is replaced with solid metal on three sides with an opening that comes out beneath one of the sloping ramps. It's a small sliver of a space, but it offers quiet and privacy from scrutiny. A perfect place for a rabbit on the edge of tharn. 

 

“Yes, you're quite right.” Markus gets to his paws slowly. He looks over the scared creature before him. He is so small compared to the other rabbits that he can only assume he is still very young. How cruel, he thinks, that humans could do such terrible things to a kit. 

 

He moves forward, to tell the rabbit he will feel more comfortable in a darker enclosed space but, the poor creature flinches back. Markus retreats immediately. He states the obvious in a soft whisper to himself, almost as if he can't believe it. 

 

“We're too big. He's frightened of us.” 

 

“I suppose we'll have to get North, then?” Simon doesn't wait for a response, the thin rabbit already on his paws and moving out of sight. 

 

Moments later, he returns with a much smaller rabbit in tow. A doe with velveteen reddish fur and keen eyes. The top of her head only reaches to a height just below Simon's shoulders. She's small but, still not quite as small as the newcomer. Her stance speaks of a hidden strength and a determination to not be underestimated. 

 

She hops forward sniffing quietly, “Is he a kit?” 

 

“We're not sure.” Simon sits by Markus once more, a fair distance away from North and the shaking rabbit. He raises a hind leg to scratch behind his ear, “He hasn't spoken a word since he was left here.” Simon feigns a nonchalant attitude, if only to disguise any worry that could be perceived as a weakness. 

 

North nods, pausing for a moment as if pondering some unknown choice. Her ears twitch slightly in thought and she glances back at the two for a moment, as if to ask something. She shakes her head quickly dismissing whatever thought buzzed between her ears. 

 

“Little one.” North speaks soft, dropping her normally assertive voice to a mother's whisper. It's odd to see her in any way nurturing. Markus is so used to her spitting vitriol and threatening to tear man apart with every breath she takes. To see her speak without that fiery bite is akin to the sun suddenly dropping from the sky. 

 

North nudges the smaller rabbit, pushing her nose softly into a flank of dark brown fur. The little rabbit moves then, hopping forward and stopping just as fast. Markus and Simon can see the moment she stamps down her frustration. Her tail raising to flash a brilliant white and ears pinning back for just a moment before they fall back into a neutral position. She rolls her eyes skyward for a moment, as if asking Lord Frith himself for patience. 

 

“Just a bit further, naylte-roo.” She presses onward, continuing to nudge at the rabbit until he is safely enveloped in darkness. He crouches then, facing Markus and Simon, eyes still wide with untamed fear. He seems to be relaxing. Instincts telling the little rabbit that the darkness is the safety of a burrow. 

 

North is about to leave, confident that her job here is done, when a quiet voice calls to her. “Where's Nine's?” 

 

The words are mumbled, stuttered and jagged with the lasting effects of fear. It is unintelligible, North looks between Markus and the little rabbit, unsure of what to do. Even if she couldn't understand the words, she knew they formed a question. 

 

She is not a creature of comfort and has little experience in the way of calming others. She moves away, uncomfortable by the notion of being so near an upset creature and having no capacity to remedy the situation. She lays on her side, back to the rabbit beneath the ramp as if shielding him from sight would somehow solve the issue. 

 

“I don't know.” She begins, not facing the rabbit, her voice conveying confidence, “But you're safe. The white coats won't come to take you away anymore.” 

 

She answers a question that she never understood, hoping she gave the right response. After all, most rabbits who end up here always ask where they are, eventually. 

 

North hears a sigh, “You're lying. They'll never stop.” The rabbit speaks with a surety that rivals her own.  

 

She concedes defeat then, hopping away from the melancholic rabbit. She tried her best, saying words that any rabbit would want to hear; a promise of safety. The small thing simply wouldn't listen. 

 

Markus watches from afar as the little rabbit places his chin upon his paws and closes his eyes. He radiates defeat and he looks to North quizzically as she approaches. 

 

“What in Frith did you say to him?” 

 

North scoffs in mock offense at the accusatory tone, “I told him he'd be safe.” She glances back at the figure beneath the ramp. “He didn't believe me.” 

 

“He’s got that same thing in his head.” Simon gestures with a paw lifted to his face. “What do you think it means?” 

 

“With man,” Markus pauses for a moment, “nothing good.” 

 

Markus is suddenly very aware of the implant in his head, a visible mark left on him by the white coats. So far, it was harmless only causing a dull ache in his skull on occasion. Sometimes, he swore he could understand the strange symbols written inside their ears. As if the little blue dots came together and meant something more than their shapes. The same could be said of the words the white coats spoke. He would hear their whispers and murmurs as more than just sound, as if they were lapine or hedgegrow, or any language spoken by animals. It was always fleeting, coming and going just as fast. 

 

It's at this moment, Markus deep in thought while North and Simon speak softly to one another of kits torn from their mothers, that a commotion begins. 

 

A human approaches, clad in their customary white coat, struggling to hold onto a cursing bundle of black and white fur. 

 

The rabbits is set down at the far end of the cage, a safe distance from the trio huddled together. All three get to their paws, tense and ears pricked with tails flashing white. 

 

The rabbit is a massive buck with an anger that rivals his size. He claws desperately at the wire weave of the wall in front of him, climbing up it and jumping while spewing all manner of curses. He manages to get a fair distance towards the top before falling back roughly, landing awkwardly on his back. Each attempt seems to get him no further and it only fuels his anger. A slight foam forming at the edges of his mouth from the sheer exertion. 

 

Unfortunately, just as he seems to be calming down a brown rabbit with tan splotches crosses in front of the enraged buck. Josh is completely unawares of the danger he's hopped into, as he simply meant to join his friends across the way. 

 

The bigger rabbit bowls him over and pins him down, pushing him roughly into the bedding. Josh panics, scrabbling at empty air and trying to kick at his attacker. His powerful kicks only manage to dig grooves into the ground. 

 

“You embleer naylte!” The rabbit snarls in his face and Josh flinches back. “Where is my brother?” 

 

Josh struggles, craning his neck and aiming to land a bite on any part of the rabbit he can reach. He doesn't know what this crazed behemoth is yelling about. He simply wants to be released. 

 

Markus races up to the commotion, concerned for Josh's safety. He stops a few paces away, North and Simon on either side of him, incisors bared in warning. 

 

“Let him go.” Markus manages to keep his voice level, “Or we will be forced to kill you.” 

 

Threats of violence and murder were not something Markus actively used but, perhaps the threat alone would deter the rabbit and even give him a chance to talk him down. 

 

“You three?” The rabbit laughs as if he'd just heard a terrible joke, “I'd like to see you try.” 

 

North growls and lowers herself to the ground as if preparing to lunge but, a blur of motion has her reeling backwards. The little rabbit has left the safety of the space below the ramp and stands panting, a buffer between the large rabbit. 

 

“Stop, don't hurt them!” He pleads, moving closer to the dangerous rabbit. Simon hops forward as if to pull him back but, the larger rabbit snarls a warning at him. 

 

Unflinching, the little rabbit stands his ground, “Nines, I'm fine. They didn't hurt me.” 

 

The large buck, Nines, removes his paws from where they press heavily into Josh's flank. The frightened rabbit scrambles away, gasping for air and huddling close to his friends, glaring at Nines. 

 

“Connor.” He almost breathes the name, as if it was unbelievable they would ever see each other again. He presses his forehead against Connor's, the little rabbit nearly falling over from the sheer enthusiasm. 

 

“You know this deranged buck?” Josh huffs, smoothing down his ruffled fur and regaining his composure. 

 

“He's my brother.” 

 

Markus blinks, thinking for a moment that Connor had misspoke. The little rabbit is absolutely dwarfed by Nines, the tips of his ears don't even come up to his shoulders. The two now laying side by side, only exasperates the difference in their size. They are nothing alike, Connor with his calm and calculating demeanor versus Nines’ cutthroat and impulsive actions. The notion that they could be related is a laughable one. 

 

“I’m sorry.” Simon starts, eyes narrowed and head tilted, “You two don't look like brothers.”

 

Connor's ears fall back and he pouches his cheeks out, looking for all the world like a kit who's mother just scolded him. He affirms that they are indeed brothers and his eyes seem to challenge anyone who thinks otherwise. 

Markus sits back on his haunches, the situation seeming to have fully de-escalated. He says the same words that he spoke to Connor when he first arrived, an affirmation that they would be safe. He adds on a warning, that they would not tolerate any sort of unwarranted fighting. This is mostly directed at Nines, who simply huffs and flicks an ear in agreement. 

 

Trusting Nines was going to be like slipping his head through a loose snare and hoping the wire didn't choke him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> embleer naylte- stinking rabbit, akin to the phrase "you rabbit fuck" or "you fucking rabbit" 
> 
> hedgegrow- animal langauge, common language among non-rabbits
> 
> lapine- rabbit language


End file.
